For most of us, the fairway wood can present a challenge. With its long length and lack of loft, it certainly is one of the most difficult club to hit.
I advise my students to make sure the ball position is forward enough in one’s stance. Then put your hands a bit forward as well, to make sure that we don’t “bottom out” before the ball in our arc. This allows for ball-first contact.
Many players can also be helped by choosing the proper club. A five-wood can be easier to get airborne, owing to its less length and more loft. And choosing one with the ability to adjust loft a bit stronger can negate most of the distance loss from 5- to 3-wood.
Finally, and here is the tough part: PRACTICE it. Most of us practice that which we are good at. So if fairway woods are vexing, we tend to not work on them. This leads to a self-fulfilling prophecy of “I know I’m going to hit this club poorly” when on the course. Guess what?! You’re right!
Making the most of your practice/rehearsal time with these difficult clubs makes them way easier to hit in real time.